‘Love After Holidays’ a local-grown love story

When you think of Jamaican cinema, the usual themes tend to emerge. Violence, tragedy, crime. It gets to the point where a marathon of Jamaican films can leave one positively numb. There are exceptions, but by and large, the cinematic output tends to lean towards crime dramas and action thrillers. Love After Holidays provides a different approach.

Produced by Jamaica-born actress and author Jacinth Headlam, Love After Holidays is a film centred on overcoming tragedy and finding a way through to acceptance. The way the film begins is rough in more ways than one. The story begins with a violent crash as our lead heroine, Janeen, played by Headlam, is drunk behind the wheel with her toddler in tow. Her husband, Stephen, played by viral sensation Jeremy Meeks, arrives on the scene in a fury, beginning Janeen’s long walk to redemption.

An independent film with the budget to match, it’s clear from the jump that Love After Holidays is a labour of love. It’s unpolished and lacking the cinematic quality you’d expect from a major studio production. Underneath, however, is a film that makes strides in its presentation of its characters, finding a way to connect with the audience without all the bells and whistles.

There are no egregious visual effects, no blatant green screens. Love After Holidays dares to simply shoot on location, giving its world a grounded feel, something that works in tandem with the film’s story. It feels like a vulnerable work of art, with Jacinth Headlam’s performance of a woman descending downwards until she careens past rock bottom and falls further still.

Truly, the script is as punishing to its main character as it can be, succeeding at creating the sense that she’s past the point of no return. In doing so, the return to form is inspirational, with an instrumental supporting cast. Love After Holidays presents a narrative that encourages forgiveness from those we have wronged, but cautions that it starts with forgiveness of the self.

The depth of this lesson comes from Janeen’s interactions with those caught in the aftermath of her stupendous crash out. Particularly, the film’s presentation of men is nuanced, with Malik Yoba’s Dr Cunningham setting the stage for sensitivity as Janeen’s therapist. The atypical portrayal of men is succinctly delivered, with Paul Campbell’s return to the screen playing against his usual destructive tendencies and, instead, is a calm and soothing presence.

Love After Holidays has solid performances, and a portrait of profound possibility in the darkest days. It’s rough around the edges, the editing leaves something to be desired; and while effective, Janeen’s downfall at times evoked raucous laughter when it seemed sympathy was intended. Despite its imperfections, at less than 90 minutes the film’s story is told at a refreshingly brisk pace, with an inspiring message that couldn’t be clearer.

Love After Holidays had its première at the Carib cinema in Cross Roads last Friday.

Rating: Half Price